Evonik terminates COO’s contract

Essen, Germany – Evonik Industries AG has announced that its supervisory board has resolved unanimously to end the term of office of Patrik Wohlhauser as the chief operating officer (COO), effective 30 June.

Wohlhauser will be replaced by Ralph Sven Kaufmann as of 1 July.

No reason for the immediate termination of Wohlhauser’s tenure  was given, though Evonikchairman Werner Müller said the departure was on “highly amicable terms”.

Evonik has much to thank him for, said Müller, adding that Wohlhauser played a key role in shaping the company’s chemicals operations over many years.

Wohlhauser joined Evonik’s executive board in April 2011 and took on responsibility for the chemical operations as chief operating officer in January 2014

New COO Kaufmann has been a managing partner of Dusseldorf SCOPEIN Management Consultants since 2001.

He trained in banking and studied economics and business administration at the universities of Cologne and New York.